Johnny Somali Faces 7 Years in Prison

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Renowned live-streamer John Somali has once again been indicted on a criminal offense which includes a compulsory jail sentence, according to legal professionals.

Since November 2024, when the South Korean authorities initially intervened during Johnny Somali‘s visit to the country, he has faced several criminal accusations. In truth, his real name is Ramsey Khalid Ismael.

The live-streamer faced charges for Disrupting Commercial Activities due to creating disorder at a 7-Eleven store during their livestream, as well as two offenses under the Minor Misdemeanor Act: one for annoying public transport passengers by using a decayed fish and another for inappropriate dancing on a subway train.

As a gamer, I’ve learned that every level has its challenges, and it seems like Somali is facing one of those tough levels in the court system of South Korea. A legal eagle who’s been watching his game closely tells me there might be more hurdles on the horizon for him. If he trips on these hurdles, the penalty could include a mandatory stay in jail.

Johnny Somali facing up to 7 years in prison over AI Deepfakes

On March 27, 2025, a legal professional from Seoul, commonly referred to as ‘Legal Mindset’, conducted a live session to clarify a new development in his case: the integration of a fifth charge that is now an official part of it.

As Legal Mindset states, the charge involves a “compulsory jail term without the possibility of paying a fine,” which essentially means that he has a high probability of serving time in prison.

🔵 The fifth accusation has been formally combined with the case of Ramsey Khalid Ismael (also known as Johnny Somali) in South Korea. This allegation requires an automatic prison sentence, with no chance for a fine instead. Now, it appears that Ramsey is destined for imprisonment, unless he can somehow overcome prosecutors who boast a 98% success rate. 🔵

— Legal Mindset (@TheLegalMindset) March 27, 2025

In a live broadcast on Legal Mindset, it was mentioned that Ismael’s accusation pertains to AI-generated deepfakes he created. One of these deepfakes depicted Korean streamer BongBong, manipulating the video to make it appear as though he and the popular influencer were kissing in November 2024.

In a live stream, Ismael shared court documents indicating that he is facing charges under the “Specialized Act Against Sexual Violence Crimes,” specifically for creating and distributing false sexual content.

The attorney clarified that this incident falls into the category of sexual crimes. Once Ramsey has been found guilty, regardless of whether the court convicts him or he admits guilt himself, it would be accurate and not defamatory anywhere to label him as a sexual offender.

In simpler terms, he stated that this deepfake video is categorized as “sexual” according to Korean law, because acts like French kissing are considered sexual activities. However, it’s important to note that sharing AI content without permission is illegal in general, but under Korean law, if you are engaging in an activity like French kissing, it is classified as a sexual act.

Johnny Somali is facing prison time after using AI Deepfakes to create a video that looked like he was kissing popular Korean streamer BongBong.

Additionally, it’s important to note that in South Korea, distributing such content for financial gain could lead to imprisonment for up to 7 years. This includes using networks like Discord and other communication platforms for distribution.

The lawyer explained that Johnny Somali is getting a more severe penalty due to his actions. He broadcasted the content, which he felt compelled to do for its appeal, on Discord.

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Johnny Somali is set to appear before a court again on April 9, following his assertion that he was unaware of the second allegation of Obstructing Business. Now, it appears another accusation may be added to his case, potentially prolonging his time in South Korea significantly.

Instead, it can be rephrased as: He admitted guilt for his initial Obstruction of Business offense and also for the two minor offenses under the Minor Crimes Act during a court appearance that was influenced by alcohol on March 7.

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2025-03-27 23:18